Ashland to the GMAC

[CALUPA69]

It's a mistake to look at it as how many teams per conference get picked. If you put the best 10 teams in a conference, only two or three would make it at most. That would still leave seven of the best teams in the country out of the playoffs.

There is no doubt that a huge influence on the decisions of some schools to join or form new leagues is to make postseason access easier. Frostburg State's route to the postseason is easier in the MEC than it would be if they joined the PSAC. Ashland's path is now easier as a member of the GMAC.

In your scenario, Frostburg's chances to break through would be easier than the rest.

It's a flaw of the system, which doesn't find what are truly the best teams in the region.

All I'm really thinking is that if things go against the MEC (NDC leaves, UNCP comes and goes, WHEELING closes) they are looking at a NE10 scenario where they MUST start playing home and away games to make a schedule. If they were in a North/South league with the GMAC including a league championship game ala PSAC, they wouldn't have to worry about scheduling as much. If playing in an easy to win league was the sole criteria, the SHEPHERD RAMS would still be riding the back roads of WV instead of the Interstate in PA.

[UFOILERFAN]

Of course the MEC would have to stop being mad and invite AB.

[JDonAB92]

No

Take a look at the mileage chart. Likely if NDC goes to the G-MAC, then AB likely goes to the MEC. I made a mileage chart which shows the trip differences for ABU:

MEC

West Virginia Wesleyan 40 minutes 23 miles
Davis & Elkins 39 minutes 27 miles
Fairmont State 52 minutes 32 miles
Glenville State 1 hour 20 min 71 miles
Frostburg State 1 hr 49 min 101 miles
Wheeling Jesuit 2 hr 3 min 116 miles
Charleston 2 hr 10 min 140 miles
West Liberty 2 hr 12 min 113 miles
WV State 2 hr 13 min 145 miles
Concord 2 hr 58 min 184 miles

G-MAC

Ohio Valley 1 hr 58 min 104 miles
Malone 3 hr 20 min 214 miles
Walsh 3 hr 28 min 219 miles
Ohio Dominican 3 hr 38 min 210 miles
Ursuline 3 hr 47 min 233 miles
Lake Erie 4 hr 7 min 231 miles
Ashland 4 hr 8 min 245 miles
Cedarville 4 hr 19 min 250 miles
Tiffin 5 hr 17 min; 306 miles
Findlay 5 hr 9 min 306 miles
Hillsdale 6 hr 25 min 409 miles
KWC 7 hr 9 min 487 miles
Trevecca Nazarene 7 hr 48 min 525 miles

Every trip in the MEC is a same-day trip. No hotel stays. Less gas. Less wear-and-tear on vehicles. Less missed class time. Less meals to feed. More money could be spent on scholarships so that we can get back to being competitive like we were when the WVIAC dissolved. ABU is spending a ton of money right now on sports for travel, food and lodging.

[Brandon]

What I'm thinking is that the MEC, whether they believe it or not, is being slowly picked apart AS A FB LEAGUE. With the PSAC and GMAC as it's two closest competitors, why would a FB school remain in a league that will possibly be overlooked like the NE10 when the time comes for post season decisions. Last season's bracket had 1 MEC team, NDC, now generally regarded as most likely to move to the GMAC next. If that happens which team seems most likely to break through SRU, IUP, KUTZ, WCU, SHEP, SHIP, CAL, TIFFIN, ODU, FINDLAY and now ASHLAND ? IMO, both the NE10 and MEC are reaching the end of the football line unless something radical happens or they give up all aspirations to be competitive regionally. FROSTBURG was a nice pickup but the PSAC could lose UPJ and add FSU at any time.

It's a mistake to look at it as how many teams per conference get picked. If you put the best 10 teams in a conference, only two or three would make it at most. That would still leave seven of the best teams in the country out of the playoffs.

There is no doubt that a huge influence on the decisions of some schools to join or form new leagues is to make postseason access easier. Frostburg State's route to the postseason is easier in the MEC than it would be if they joined the PSAC. Ashland's path is now easier as a member of the GMAC.

In your scenario, Frostburg's chances to break through would be easier than the rest.

It's a flaw of the system, which doesn't find what are truly the best teams in the region.

[CALUPA69]

Just my opinion. I can for see the power of the conference with the good traditional football schools: Hillsdale, Findlay, Ashland. I don't think the south should want to block NDC if those schools would allow them in.

Agreed the the tail, AB, KWU and TNU, should not be allowed to wag the GMAC dog. Make the league as much all Ohio as possible.

[D2Ohio]

Maybe some of the schools like Trevecca, AB and KWC feel they don't need another trip up to Cleveland especially a school that left when times were bleak. Those schools may not be so willing to vote for a school to come in when times are good. I don't know. Just wondering.

Just my opinion. I can for see the power of the conference with the good traditional football schools: Hillsdale, Findlay, Ashland. I don't think the south should want to block NDC if those schools would allow them in.

[CALUPA69]

What I'm thinking is that the MEC, whether they believe it or not, is being slowly picked apart AS A FB LEAGUE. With the PSAC and GMAC as it's two closest competitors, why would a FB school remain in a league that will possibly be overlooked like the NE10 when the time comes for post season decisions. Last season's bracket had 1 MEC team, NDC, now generally regarded as most likely to move to the GMAC next. If that happens which team seems most likely to break through SRU, IUP, KUTZ, WCU, SHEP, SHIP, CAL, TIFFIN, ODU, FINDLAY and now ASHLAND ? IMO, both the NE10 and MEC are reaching the end of the football line unless something radical happens or they give up all aspirations to be competitive regionally. FROSTBURG was a nice pickup but the PSAC could lose UPJ and add FSU at any time.

[BlueBlood]

[BlueBlood]

[JDonAB92]

Notre Dame seems like the logical next member of the GMAC expansion, though weren't they one of the charter members of the league before they bolted for the MEC along with Urbana (or am I misremembering)?

I am just wondering out loud. But I wonder if the commissioner of the G-MAC and some of the member schools from the first few years of the G-MAC aren't interested in offering Notre Dame. Some guys don't like to look in the rear-view mirror. Maybe Daeger felt Notre Dame bolted on the conference and he doesn't want to offer membership to a school that didn't trust the process the first time. I am not faulting Notre Dame for leaving. The grass certainly looked greener at the time in the MEC. But some guys feel they got spurred and don't want to go back there. Maybe some of the schools like Trevecca, AB and KWC feel they don't need another trip up to Cleveland especially a school that left when times were bleak. Those schools may not be so willing to vote for a school to come in when times are good. I don't know. Just wondering.

It isn't a knock on NDC. They have an excellent school and an excellent athletic program. Maybe they like where they are at and are willing to pay the extra expenses. I find that part hard to believe in this day and age of private school economics. But to each his own. I just don't know if they have been offered membership. Time will tell.

[JDonAB92]

If/when NDC leaves, who does that leave for the MEC in football? Fairmont? Frostburg? UNC Pembroke? Basketball shouldn't be as badly effected, unless West Liberty and Fairmont decide to shock the world and push their way into the PSAC or something equally ridiculous (and, yes, I'm being sarcastic here).

Whether it be the WVIAC or the MEC, basketball is where those members had the most success. Yes, football has had some moments here and there, but basketball is where most of the success has always been. You have so many small schools in WV. It is easier to field a championship caliber team with 8 to 10 quality guys than trying to find 44 for football.

[JDonAB92]

I can understand why the GMAC would be cool to the idea. They are thriving. But in '12 the GLIAC had 16 FB members and they will begin '21 with 8. The security a 12-16 team league is you can survive members closing, dropping the sport or moving up or down, without being forced to come up with bizarre solutions, think NE10. If this were to happen I would expect GMAC to ask for unconditional surrender or no deal. They are in the best bargaining position given the exodus, past and future, in the MEC. I don't think the PSAC could realistically take on new members unless someone (SHU) were to leave. As you say it's not going to happen.....yet.

But schools like Hillsdale, Findlay, ODU, Lake Erie, Walsh, Malone just left a large conference where they were with a lot of large, public Michigan schools. Why would they now want to merge with a conference in another neighboring state where that conference is run by a life-long public person in Reid Amos, formed by a life-long public employee in the former West Lib president Robin Capehart and the initial committee that selected conference members was made up of only two guys.....the current commissioner (a loyal and dedicated public employee to that West Lib president) and the athletic director at the time at Shepherd....both public school guys? The MEC schools aren't going to go for any thing from a leadership perspective that the G-MAC has. And the G-MAC schools just aren't going to do things the way the MEC does. You have to realize when the MEC was first formed, the president of the University of Charleston (a private school) led an effort to preserve the WVIAC. Schools that were with him were WV Wesleyan, Wheeling Jesuit, AB, D&E, Ohio Valley and WV State. He just didn't have enough football schools at the time and there was fear that they would not have enough football schools at the time. But that might tell you something there. There was an article in the Charleston Daily Mail WV at the time. I could probably research and find that.

[D2Ohio]

Indianapolis should stay right where they are...

I don't follow non-football and understand that there are other sports to consider, but I feel geographically and competition wise, GMAC make more sense.
With St Joe and Bellarmine gone, that was the two closest schools. Could you expand slightly on why (I value this as I would consider you an "expert" on D2 matters)

[RetiredAU]

Sad to be leaving the GLIAC as my 4 years of ball consisted of regular trips to the Rapids and Upper P. Competition was great and those games were always extremely hard hitting games. Excited though for what the future holds in the GMAC. It just makes too much sense to make the move especially with this more severe version of the flu wreaking havoc on everything. Also excited to renew the rivalries with Findlay, Tiffin, Hillsdale and ODU. Hopefully my Eagles can go out on top in their final GLIAC season!

[CALUPA69]

Just because a merger between the GMAC and MEC should happen (at least according to some posters upthread), that doesn't mean either side wants it to happen, nor does it mean that it needs to happen.

The GMAC deserves a lot of credit for building a high quality all-sports conference capped off by the addition of Ashland. I wouldn't be shocked if that ends up being enough for NDC to also make the move into the GMAC within the next year or two, since they're essentially an outpost on Lake Erie compared to the rest of the MEC's footprint in West Virginia/Western Maryland now that the MEC's other Ohio school, Urbana, is permanently closed.

Even with all that said, MEC football rode the Shepherd coattails until they left for the PSAC (a move I never thought would've happened, but the dumpster fire that was Cheyney athletics kinda made that move a necessity for both sides). MEC football then latched on to the success in Cleveland with NDC, and now it wouldn't surprise me if that's gone in a few years, if not sooner.

If/when NDC leaves, who does that leave for the MEC in football? Fairmont? Frostburg? UNC Pembroke? Basketball shouldn't be as badly effected, unless West Liberty and Fairmont decide to shock the world and push their way into the PSAC or something equally ridiculous (and, yes, I'm being sarcastic here).

I can understand why the GMAC would be cool to the idea. They are thriving. But in '12 the GLIAC had 16 FB members and they will begin '21 with 8. The security a 12-16 team league is you can survive members closing, dropping the sport or moving up or down, without being forced to come up with bizarre solutions, think NE10. If this were to happen I would expect GMAC to ask for unconditional surrender or no deal. They are in the best bargaining position given the exodus, past and future, in the MEC. I don't think the PSAC could realistically take on new members unless someone (SHU) were to leave. As you say it's not going to happen.....yet.